Amid growing concerns for the environment, Prof. Khadijah Iyabo Tijani is an artist that advocates environmental sustainability through recycling of fabrics. Tijani, who is the publisher of the Art and Artists Magazine, lectures at the Department of Fine Art, Faculty of Environmental Design, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. In this interview with Evelyn Osagie, she speaks of her passions and more.
Being a woman
Being a woman has never been more than an identity to me because, I was brought up in the era of what a man can do, a woman should do, too. This ideology must have been my mum’s because she rose through the ashes of the ideology that a woman must remain at home so it made her insist that my sister and I must maintain a job at all cost. My mum kept this maxim and she drummed it into our ears at every opportunity that much as one must keep a family, one should also keep a job. Being a woman is a lot of job if you don’t want to be a trophy wife as my children says in their modern parlance. You have to be a home maker, and also be career minded. For me, I got a good support from my family to carry on and that gave me a good cushion.
Growing up for me that impacted the woman I became
I grew up in Kaduna. I went to both primary, secondary there, and then university in Zaria. I was brought up under very strict observation of my parents. My dad of blessed memory was a civil servant. My mum, though trained as a nurse was a stay at home wife. She was and still is a very stern person who believes so much in being upright and doing the right thing always. This impacted my life so much to the point of me going into teaching. I have taught all my life.
Lecturing or art?, which came first
I grew up as someone that always engages in the arts. So I could say I was an artist before I became a teacher. I have been teaching for so many years. I am closer to retirement than I am to where I started from.
My inspiration as an artist
As an artist I see art in everything and everywhere I look. I am never short of inspiration to create art.
My journey into the world of Art
It has been exciting. My best memories come from time spent in the art room of my Alma matta as a student, among friends that one trusted whole hearted. I’ve been asked how lucrative is it being an artist and a lecturer? To this, I say any job that comes from ones passion may not necessarily be lucrative but we do get by. You get a lot of job satisfaction and in time you learn and know the business side of your trade and it helps. In short, time is the greatest teacher.
My advocacy on waste management and recycling of fabric
The whole idea of the depletion of the ozone layer is to be curbed by serious reduction in human waste. And women should be at the forefront of it, particularly because we are homemakers. Every item used that can be reused should be encouraged, including fabrics. And non-biodegradable materials should be discouraged as much as possible. The Ankara fabric is made from cotton as such it will easily dissolved if left for some time and rather than allow it to litter it can be converted into art for hanging on the wall.
Why Fela Kuti caught my attention as an artist
I am not really a fan of Fela’s life style but he was an activist and music was his means of speaking directly to society. His full name was Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti. He was also called Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. He was born on 15th October, 1938 at Abeokuta in Nigeria; he died on the 2nd August, 1997, in Lagos Nigeria. I was attracted by his music and activism that led him to launch a modern style music called Afro-beat, which fused American blues, jazz, and funk with traditional Yoruba music. Kuti was highly engaged in political activism in Africa from the 1970s until his death. He criticised the corruption of Nigerian government officials and the mistreatment of Nigerian citizens. I find it He spoke of colonialism as the root of the socio-economic and political problems that plagued the African people.
SDG, Art Pedagogy and its adaptation system in Nigeria
Nigerians are kind-hearted people and I believe if only our decision makers will pay a visit to their own old schools and see what is obtainable there, it will help convince them that we have indeed reached that stage where we change or perish. In my opinion, no child should be left behind.
Nigeria is only one of the member nations of the United Nations that agreed to adopt the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) stemming from the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that ended in 2015. It all has to do with the sincerity of government and the driving force which requires nothing but the belief in the country Nigeria.
Events that led me into publishing
Publishing is part of what you learn as a graphic artist as such I also became a lecturer of the same course while in the polytechnic. After many years of teaching it, I decided to practice what I preached. I succeeded in seeking out the news and all other aspects except the marketing and getting sponsorship that eluded me. I was expecting merit to sell itself but the usual Nigerian factor killed it. I found that publication is another aspect that I could succeed at. It is actually inborn.
I enjoy doing the magazine job except that it was not financially rewarding. Sometimes I am the journalist, the editor, the photographer and it sometimes gets overwhelming when there is no support coming from anywhere. Many people enjoy a good tabloid but are not willing to put their money where their mouth is? They are not, so it is a lonely road and you the publisher is the only one seeing the road.
Marrying both careers, along with family life
It is not easy to combine the home front and the job. Family means a lot to me as such I have ensured that I combine the task of raising a family with all I done in the area of job. It requires a lot of coordination. Everyone in your life has their own demands even friends sometimes can be a pain in the neck, excuse my French. But we’ve got by and we thank God. The point is not to misplace your priorities. Sometimes you have to say ‘No’ even if it means losing some friends because everything has a price. You just need to remain focus and keep going. To the glory of God, I am married to the love of my life, who is an accountant by profession. He is running his own personal business and we have two of our children following in his field of accounting, both them are chartered and working in different parts of the world.
My thought on beauty
As an artist beauty is difficult to define because what is beautiful to me may not be beautiful to you, like the popular adage: ‘beauty is in the eyes of the beholder’.
However, beauty can be used to refer to the quality of being attractive, especially to look at i.e. natural beauty. I personally believe that beauty comes from within though with the advent of makeup sometimes you need a second look to know if what you behold is the truth. As the saying goes that a thing of beauty is a joy forever.
My fashion style
My fashion sense used to be quite high in the past. Becoming an academician is very demanding as such comfort became my watch word. I love to dress daintily so long as I am comfortable in what I’m wearing. I love subtle colours reflecting the African in me wherever I go.
Fashion item I can’t do without
I like to be modest in my dressing, so long as I’m covered. And I love perfume. I wouldn’t want to do without my perfume ‘Beautiful’ by Estee Lauder (laughs.)
My escape place
Some of art works are done for relaxation. I love to watch a good movie too because it teaches one life’s lessons and about other people’s culture.
